Chasing Snakes In Piedras Blancas National Park

Golfito, Costa Rica

Treading carefully with rubber boots is what saved me. A venomous pitviper lay curled up and ready to strike, camouflaged along the muddy trail I was hiking.

Piedras Blancas National Park is tucked away in the South-West corner of Costa Rica. It protects rainforest, beaches, and wildlife along the Golfo Dulce (or sweet gulf) — an inlet attached to the Pacific Ocean.

I was staying at Playa Nicuesa Lodge, a remote eco-friendly place hidden within the National Park itself and only accessible by boat.

The lodge is completely off the grid, powered by solar panels and a bio-diesel generator. I was pretty excited to sleep in the middle of a highly active and beautiful rainforest surrounded by nature for a few days.